Thursday, March 28, 2024

Kashmiris deprived of Eid prayers, sacrifice of animals in IOK amid unabated clampdown

Kashmiris deprived of Eid prayers, sacrifice of animals in IOK amid unabated clampdown
August 12, 2019
SRINAGAR (KMS) – In Occupied Kashmir, people could not offer Eid prayers and slaughter sacrificial animals on Eidul Azha, one of the biggest festivals for Muslims, due to continued curfew and communication blackout on the eighth straight day. The entire occupied territory, including Doda and Kishtwar areas of Jammu region, is reeling under strict curfew and communication blackout since last Monday when India unilaterally revoked Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Eid prayers were allowed in only a few small mosques located in peripheral areas of the Occupied Kashmir Valley. As people came out of these mosques, they started shouting anti-India slogans, which prompted the authorities to immediately re-impose curfew. The web pages of all local newspapers could not be updated since that day. Hurriyat leadership, including Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and former puppet ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti are in house detention or in jails. National Conference leader Ali Muhammad Sagharwas shifted to a jail in Uttar Pradesh. An Indian TV channel, NDTV, itself admitted that the restrictions were so tough that even a fly could not move. A TV reporter said, “Very very harsh restrictions have been put in place. Even perhaps fly is not been allowed to move. Perhaps the Indian government is fearing trouble if there are major Eid congregations. I had to walk several kilometers because my vehicle was not allowed to move. This is the kind of situation on the ground here. The roads are deserted even in high security zones like, Durganath Road, Gupkar and Sonawar areas, which have no population around and only security and the top officials live here. Just 15 kms from theses high security zones is revered shrine of Sonawar, but this shrine has also been shut. All the mosques and the shrines be it Hazratbal, Jamia Masjid or Eidgah Ground in Srinagar and even the high security TRC ground have been shut.” The government spokesman is saying everything is relaxed. While in the interior Mohallas Eid prayers are being held in smaller mosques, but not a single major Eid congregation in Srinagar and in any other part of the major towns of the valley. A very tense situation on the Eid. “Only security forces’ vehicles can be seen moving here. I have never seen such tough restrictions in the valley on Eid day in the past. Friday was much relaxed as compared today. This time it is much much tougher restrictions today. Even the media is not being allowed as I said I have to walk several kms to reach the office with great difficulty. Everywhere massive security is being made on Eid day. You can’t see even a toy shop open anywhere because of the restrictions,” he said.